Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-02-25
ANNUAL CITY REPORTS,
SUMMARY OF THE WORK OF THE VA
RIOUS DEPARTING NTS.
The Condition of the Public So 'iools The
Fletcher Library-what ha' Been
Done to Our Streets-Our
Water Supply-Other
Departments.

The send annual report of the city of
Burlington, for the year ending Deem
Der 81, 1856, has been published and copies
are now ready for general distribution.
The mayors estimates for this year
which were presented to the Board
OF Aldermen at n recent meeting and a
review of the health officers report have
already appeared in these columns. The
reports show the various departments to
be in prosperous condition and the show
ing made for the year is very satisfac-
tory
FLETCHER FREE LIBRARY.
BY the report of the trustees of the
Fletcher Free Library it appears that
there are now on its catalogue IL, 12s num-
bers showing a gain of 72S books during
the past year. There are also government
documents not entered, books held III
trust, etc, which swels the number to
l9,42S. Last year, 81, 1913 volumes have
been taken out for home use. In 1884,
the circulation was 20, 10 in 1855, 30 AS
volumes Only one year shows il larger
In 1917, it touched IS, ass volumes. There
was a gain over that, in that then 30,411
were books of fiction, while, in 1856, the
number was 1887. And it is further to
be noted that, since 1877, a number of the
more sensational, less useful books have
been taken off the shelves, and their
places filed by histories, biographies,
books of travel, etc, for the young which,
however, in the reports of circulation are
cassed with fiction. In May, the unusual
monthly number was reached of 1884 vol
umes borrowed being 1000 more than the
average. On Saturday, April 10, 42O
books were given out for home use the
largest number for any day since the lii
brary was opened. The trustees call at
tentlon to the gross carelessness with
which some borrowers treat the books and
suggest lining such offenders, by refusing
them. for proper time, the privileges of
the library.
The expenses of the library during 1856
were 81, lbs. 20 There was received dur
ing the year from interest on the library
fund. fines, dog tax, etc, Sl25S.21 and
there was paid out for periodicals and
books $ll91.55 leaving SG06 &c in the hands
OF the treasurer
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
1t appears from the report of the SUPER
lntendent of public schools that the de
partment closed the year with small
balance to its credit amounting to S3S. 20
The total disbursements during the year
aggregated 1913 9s272 of which sol 900
was provided by city taxes and the re-
mainder by interest on the United States
deposit and Huntington funds, tuition
from non resident pupils, etc. The eX-
penses of the public schools for 1855 were
s23,519O9, and the estimated tllsburse-
ments of the department for the year 1897,
amount to s23,3S5, the sum to be provided
lor py city taxes being the same rs last
year
During the year the largest enrolment
of pupils was 1924, gain of ca as com
pared with 1888. The daily average at
tendance was about the same. There are
at present 80 teachers in all departments
and four pupil teachers.
The report also treats at length of the
temperance text books and the "Kuttan-
Smead warming and ventilating appara-
tus" both of which have been discussed at
length III these columns.
WATER DEPARTMENT.
The report of the superintendent of the
water works shows that the expenses of
that department last year were SIG, l5l 81
against sl9,663.2S, the sum being divided
as follows : Construction. $4375 50: Gu
rent expenses, SG4S9 AZ; pumping, $47S4. II;
metres, S50l.66. The total amount of
water pumped was 226 961 ,525 gallons an
increase of 1885, POO gallons over the pre-
vlous year. The average daily cOnsump.
ton was Cpl ,Sl2 gallons against 572 674 in
1850 There are now in use 1885, feet or
29.O4 miles of pipe of which l16l feet are
new mains and 1896 replaced cement pipe
There are 1853 hydrants in use, 143 public
and private and 20 private. The total
number OF gates in use is 257 of which
nine have been added this year.
There are now in use 262 meters, a gain
OF 70 over last year. OF this number 209
are owned by individuals and 40 are the
property of the department.
The amount of water passed through
the ne, meters has been 3O,62S, 260 gallous, the
u n N mt 90
Of the water pumped 1917 per cent has
been used through meters, yielding 26l5
per cent Of the collections.
The repairs made during the year have
been as follows: On cement pipe, lG
breaks, II leaks, pick holes; on iron
II leaks; on broken hydrants, leaks.
one hundred ana thrty-four iron stop
boxes, and 80 iron gate boxes have been
set to replace wooden ones. The amount
of water pumped is the largest since 1880
GO per cent of the increase was during the
four summer months
The cost of pumping figured on pump
ing station expenses was sci .0S per mil |
hon gallons raised against dynamic head
into reservoir.
The cost of pumping figured on the to
tai maintenance was Sl05.3S per million |
gallons raised against dynamic head into |
reservoir.
I.
The report of the superintendent of |
streets shows that the expenditures in |
that department tie past year were rs fo.- |
lows:
wer department. ....-..... Sl1,0le.I
street light department. .... 1886
Pubic buildings and parks. 2h3Gj
street department ........... ls,S5L0l
lotal... ..................S $50 s,7 IA
I'm order to obtain the actual cost to the
city OF the department and its branches the
following Items of unused material purchased
iurlng the year and bills still due the depart
ment must be deducted from the total expen.
itures: r
HPot t--s.....S llO.W
nncredited sewer assessments. ...... 4Sls.70
huscu m"-eilai .''' .'..'.-. ...,..,,... Si2.76
Total, ....... ....................... s5,sslbO
This leaves the actual cost of the de-
D,artment to the city S24395.63 During
he previous year the actual expenditures
orr = u,